


Rinisai Hope - Assassin for Hire

by Rinisai



Category: Original Work
Genre: Assassins & Hitmen, Crimes & Criminals, Dark, Father Figures, I Don't Even Know, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Mild Gore, Mild Language, Murder, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Poverty, i have no idea how to tag things, just stick with it okay, might get bloody later, story starts pretty grim, things will improve
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-09-26 11:00:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20388613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rinisai/pseuds/Rinisai
Summary: When a young girl's parents are killed in front of her, she is left for dead. Desperately trying to survive off the streets, she stumbles upon someone - or rather, they upon her - who would save her life and change it forever.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> For the record, I have no idea if this is any good. However, I decided I was proud of it. So I guess I'll put it up on here, see who likes it.  
Hopefully you take the time to read it, and keep in mind that the story starts fairly grim.
> 
> Otherwise, hello! Thanks for taking the time to check this out! I think I've edited out any spelling or grammar issues, so I hope you enjoy reading! This is mostly just a passion project of mine, a bit more backstory to a character I already made a while ago. I have a few chapters prepared in advance, so I'll try to work out a good schedule to put these up based off how often I can sit down and write them.  
Please enjoy!

It was cold, so very cold. The young girl stumbled down the footpath, a thin rag wrapped around her. Her short hair was slicked back against her skull, and her frail form tripped, falling in a puddle. Wet. The rain fell in sheets, hammering against her back as she lay there, putting her thin arms out to push herself up. She ignored the blood that pricked from her elbows - just another stain on the fabric that was her only source of warmth. The girl heard footsteps, looked up desperately to see a man walk by.

  
He looked down at her thoughtfully. The girl must have been no more than seven, if that. He frowned at seeing her depraved appearance, quickly hurrying on. No one wanted to be seen near someone like that.

The girl quietly began to sob, her tears mixing with the dirt and rain on her face. After a few minutes, she picked herself up from the ground, continuing to stumble down the cobbled path. If she could just make it to some kind of shelter… She looked forward, trying to peer through the heavy rain, and noticed a point where the ground looked dry. She began running towards it, falling over halfway and crawling the rest of the distance. She didn’t take much time to see where she was, but she knew enough to guess that it was some store with an overhanging roof. The girl curled into a small ball, shivering hopelessly with the rag pulled tight around her. The ground was hard, but it didn’t take long for her to fall asleep, as exhausted as she was.

The rain continued hard throughout the night, soaking everything that wasn’t undercover, and a number of things that were. However, as the sun begin to make its entrance over the horizon, the deluge eased, and the clouds began to disperse.

* * *

The girl woke to a harsh yell, and she squinted, the bright sun shining in her eyes. She didn’t have any time to access her surroundings as a harsh pain blossomed in her back and she was rolled over. She got up in a panic, falling over again before scrambling to her feet, running from the store owner who had kicked her.

Some way down the street, she stopped, trying to catch her breath and leaning against a light post. Her sickly, frail form looked pathetic against it. She had to find some kind of alley to hide in until the streets grew busier. In the end, she located a number of overturned crates on a narrow side street, climbing into one and closing her eyes again.

* * *

The girl slowly stretched against the confines of the crate, lifting her head up to look out. Cars and other vehicles sped over the road every few seconds, and people crossed the footpath intermittently. She slowly crawled out of the crate, shuffling out onto the street. She kept her head down as people swerved to avoid her, some even crossing the street simply to be away from the sickly child. Not one stopped to help.

She hated them, she hated all of them.

The young girl felt delicious scents reach her nose, and felt her stomach argue back in protest. She needed to eat, she knew that much. After a moment of deliberation, she crawled around to another alley. She knew this one led to the back of a bakery, and that scraps and unsold food were thrown in the dumpsters. That was what she was counting on as she stumbled to the dumpster, leaning against it and breathing heavily. After a few minutes, she looked around. A plastic crate, that would have to do. She pushed it over to the dumpster, climbing up on it before pushing the lids open. Even that took her a moment to rest.

  
She looked down into the bins, her eyes lighting up at the scraps that had been thrown in. Hearing a noise at the door, she hastily reached down, grabbing as much as her small hands could carry before starting to run from the shouts that rang out. She looked down at the fistfuls of bread crusts she had managed to steal, then started running again as she heard pounding footsteps behind her. She couldn’t run anywhere near fast enough, as the footsteps grew louder and louder. As she came to a fence gate, she spun in fear, looking up at the large, brawny man. He grunted, cracking his knuckles.

  
“Stupid little thief,” he growled, his beard rustling as he spoke. “I’ll teach you a lesson. Come here!” He reached out, grabbing her tiny arm and lifting her up off the ground as she squirmed. “I’ll make you regret stealing from m-”

The girl’s eyes widened as red liquid sprayed across her torso. She fell to the ground, scrambling back as the man gurgled blood, his throat cut clean open. He clutched at his neck for a few seconds, before falling over backwards, dead.

  
She stared up in horror at the man standing in his place, a shadow cast over his appearance. Blood dripped from a blade in his hand, and he tutted, cleaning it against the clothes on the new corpse. She let out a tiny squeak, and he looked up at her in surprise, as if he hadn’t realized she were there. A few moments passed as their gazes met, her brilliant violet eyes staring into his shadowed, hazel ones.

“Oh,” he said simply, tilting his head to the side. She shrunk back against the fence, and he stepped backwards. “Don’t be afraid. He was just a target, you had no involvement in that.”  
  
She blinked up at him, trying to understand what he meant. A target? What was that supposed to mean? As she shivered, the man glanced around, scanning for any kind of camera. Who was this girl, frail against the wall? Why wasn’t anyone caring for her? At seeing no security devices, he looked back at the child.   
  
“Do you have any parents?”   
  
She squeaked again at being spoken to, before shaking her head slowly, her eyes tearing up.

The man sighed softly, pushing his hood back to reveal a chiseled face, stubble gracing his chin, with a nose that had obviously been broken several times. Still, it was a charming look, maybe a bit rugged. He offered her a smile as he put the blade away, sitting down across from her. No one would come looking for the body for a while.

Why was this girl homeless without parents?  
Why had no one tried to take her in, or at the very least feed her? She was literally eating stale bread crusts as he watched her. Of course she was, she was terrified, but hunger overrode it.   
He couldn’t just leave her there. No, he had to do something about this thin, sickly girl on the streets.

“My name’s Daniel,” he said after a moment, watching her eyes flick up at him. He had her attention, and her young mind seemed to be slowly processing that he wasn’t trying to hurt her. And, after eating as meager as even scraps, she was a little more able to react and think.

“What’s yours?” He didn’t care if it would be a large inconvenience, or that he had no way to care for a child. Just because his occupation centered around death, that didn’t mean he could just leave this girl to die.

She looked at him quietly, her knees drawn up to her chest, shivering in the cold air. This man had dropped in and saved her from her perspective. And he was scary, but… his face was familiar. In the dim light of the alley, his expression resembled her father. Of course, she knew that was impossible. But still, it gave her some kind of comfort.

“R-r…” she began, trying to get the word out. He gave her a nod of encouragement, waiting patiently.

  
“M-my name… is Rinisai.”


	2. Rinisai

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in uploading. I'm going to try and work hard to get these on a weekly schedule. They don't take me too long to write, but I have to find time for it, and time to edit it. The plan is to upload every Sunday, we'll see if I can keep that up. Hope you enjoy!

“Rinisai?”

The girl gave a small nod of her head, nibbling on a crust of bread that was too solid to eat normally.

“That’s a wonderful name. Your parents gave you that?”

Rinisai flinched this time, followed by another inclination of her head. Daniel frowned some, he’d have to remember to avoid that topic for now. He shifted on the ground as he watched her. There was nowhere he could really take her, no orphanage would accept a child this sickly, and besides, he doubted that was what she needed.

“Well, Rinisai,” he began, watching her still wary and untrusting eyes. “There are going to be people here very soon. If you stay here, you might get in trouble.” It pained him to see how her eyes widened in fear at that, the young girl shrinking back further. “But…” he began, judging her reaction. She seemed curious, hopeful that he had a different solution.

“I have somewhere you could be safe, at least for a little while.” God, what was he getting himself into? He could hardly support himself, let alone a dying, unnourished child. Still, he had to help her, at least for a short while.

Rinisai’s eyes widened as she looked up at him, disbelieving yet hopeful.

“Do… do you… mean that?” She was used to people just giving her a pitying glance and then continuing with their day. Yet here she was being offered somewhere safe to be. She vigorously nodded her head; despite the pain it caused her neck.

Daniel slowly stood up, offering out a hand. After much hesitation, Rinisai reached out a pale, bony arm to take it, and Daniel pulled her gently to her feet. When she nearly fell over, he quickly pulled her closer and picked her up. The girl panicked at that, before looking up at his reassuring face and slowly calming. After a few minutes of standing there, Daniel patiently waiting, she dropped her head down into his chest, giving a small cough as she fell still. With a sigh, the man began to walk, approaching towards the dumpsters. He lifted her up, setting her down on the lid that remained closed, before climbing up, standing on the edge. Picking her up again, he held her towards the roof.

“Rinisai. Can you climb? I need you to get up there.”

She gave a small nod, still not talking much as she grabbed onto the edge of the tiles, scrambling as she attempted to lift herself. With hardly any strength in her arms, she wasn’t very successful. However, with another push from Daniel, she managed to crawl on to the roof, her legs still hanging over the side. Daniel was able to quickly make his way up after her, helping Rinisai clamber fully onto the tiles. She took a few steps, looking down to the street. Even that height made her dizzy.

“D-Daniel?” she questioned quietly. “Is this safe?” She was terrified, still just a young girl who had now been pulled onto a rooftop. He nodded in response, moving to pick her up again, and this time she moved into his arms willingly. Not because she fully trusted him, but because she was fearful of falling off the edge. As she began to make another complaint, Daniel shushed her, pacing slowly along the roof. Normally, he would move faster, but he wouldn’t dare risk it with her in his arms. He made his way along the rooftops, balancing. He set himself out in different alleys and sewers, constantly moving. It wasn’t the greatest way to live, but it was all he could manage. And luckily, his latest position wasn’t too far. He looked down after a moment, Rinisai had stopped making noises. A small sigh escaped him as he smiled, watching the girl’s chest rise and fall slowly, her face peaceful.

“Sleep well,” he murmured, continuing his movement.

* * *

Rinisai opened her eyes to find herself laying sideways. The rag that had been wrapped around her was folded under her head to act as a cushion, and a thin blanket covered her now naked form. She flushed as she became aware of that, quickly drawing her knees to her chest. She paused, blinking a few times as she noticed a flickering light to her left. Glancing over that way, she noticed a feeble fire, crackling gently in the darkness. As her eyes adjusted, she began to perceive more of her surroundings, recognizing after a moment that she was in a sewer. That explained the pungent scent that registered as her mind continued to wake up.

Rinisai held the blanket close as she began to roll over and was met with a small cough. She looked up to see Daniel sitting by the fire, shivering next to it. As she looked back down at herself, it registered that this sheet was probably what he usually used to help against the cold.

“Oh, you’re awake,” he commented, acting as if he wasn’t overly bothered by the cold. He began to reach behind him as she sat up, keeping the blanket over her. Daniel took hold of something, looking away to make sure he had what he wanted.

“Catch,” he said, tossing something spherical to her. Rinisai quickly scrambled to take hold of it, before pulling back to the blanket. She looked down, and after holding it out to the fire, was able to make out enough to tell it was a fruit. An apple, more specifically. She glanced up at him uncertainly, looking back down to the apple then to him again.

“Well, go on. It’d be a waste if you didn’t eat it,” Daniel prompted. Without any need for further instruction, Rinisai buried her teeth into the fruit, taking a small bite out of it. The sweet juice shot through her mouth, her eyes opening in surprise. She couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten fresh fruit. When was the last time she had been offered food rather than steal or scrounge for it? She quickly continued to eat, before coughing, continuing to hack before violently heaving the few mouthfuls behind her, accompanied by stomach lining.

Daniel watched her with pity, but also worry.

“You should eat slower,” he recommended. “You haven’t eaten much; your stomach will reject it if you try to force food down.”

Rinisai looked up at him with uncertainty, before nodding, wiping her mouth then taking smaller bites. This time, she slowed down, taking the time to chew the food and swallow, allowing it to settle in her stomach.

As she continued to consume the apple, Daniel turned around, studying what lay there on a basic quilt. He hardly had anything - the food he was giving her was all he had until he collected the full payment on his last job. Still, she had to eat something. Judging by how sickly thin the girl was, she hadn’t eaten anything substantial in weeks. He took a simple loaf of bread, breaking it in half before holding one piece out to her, notably, the larger one. The fire was so feeble he could reach over it without any worry of burning himself.

Rinisai reached out, quickly snatching the chunk of bread and chewing on it, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the taste of proper food. As she began to finish, she looked up at him expectantly, and Daniel sighed, giving over the other half of bread as well. She quickly ate that as well, only just holding the food down.

Daniel watched her thoughtfully, waiting until she had finished eating to hand her a single bottle of water. She drank quickly at first, before spluttering, taking to slower sips. Once she had handed the bottle back, he crossed his legs, tilting his head. Rinisai looked back at him, blinking owlishly, her pupils wide in the darkness.

“So, uh, Rinisai,” Daniel began, unsure how to approach her. She was still quite apparently nervous, though a little more trusting after the food he’d given her. “How old are you?”

The girl counted on her fingers for a moment, before looking back at him.

“Seven?” she replied uncertainly, keeping the blanket over herself. God. Only seven, Daniel thought to himself. And lost out on the streets, dying.

“How long have you been out there?” he questioned after, frowning. Once more, Rinisai put her fingers out.

“Six,” she said, blinking back up at him.

“Days?”

“Weeks.”

Daniel shook his head in disbelief. This seven-year-old girl had been desperately trying to survive alone for weeks?

“A week is ten days, right?” she suddenly questioned, letting her head drop to the side. Daniel paused, watching her. If that was what she thought, then she’d been living by herself for two months. It was nearly impossible to believe, but when he considered the state she was in, and the food she was stealing to survive, it felt just possible.

He couldn’t tell much else about her from a glance. She was tiny, and frail, but her hair was ashen grey from dirt, whatever color was underneath, it couldn’t be seen. Her face was smeared with mud, and everything about her was unclean. He stared blankly at her for a moment, and Rinisai pulled the blanket a little tighter, looking away. Daniel quickly shook his head with a sigh, looking down into the fire. These sewers wouldn’t be a suitable place much longer, he’d have to find somewhere better. Somewhere that could support two people, no less.

“You should get some more rest, Rinisai. We’re going to be doing things tomorrow.” He figured he’d put it simple, no use worrying her.

Rinisai simply gave a small nod, turning back over and laying down. All she wanted to do was sleep, she was so exhausted, and still hungry despite eating. She closed her eyes, and before long, drifted off to sleep.

Daniel let out a slow breath, looking up at the dark ceiling of the sewer tunnels. What was he getting himself into, taking care of this girl?


	3. Hiding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I should be able to manage these on a weekly schedule.  
In other news, I've been unwell recently. But that's been improving, and I used the time off to edit this chapter, so hopefully you enjoy!

Daniel took a few paces, looking up at the dark sky. The alleyways around him were shadowed and void of light - perfect conditions. A stench hung around them, emanating from the sewers, and a stray cat mewled its distaste from the lid of a nearby dumpster. He frowned, it was all downhill running towards them. Trash lay heaped around the ground, part of the source of the putrid smell. These openings into the sewer systems were some of the worst places in the city, but one of the best to hide at short term.

He looked down at the small bundle in his arms. He’d picked Rinisai up with the blanket around her, keeping her at least somewhat warm. The rags she had been wearing he had discarded, they were so soaked and dirty they did her more harm than good. He’d find something new for her to wear later. He didn’t care if that was precious money he could use to keep himself alive, some kind of almost parental instinct had taken over as he watched the girl.

He carried the sleeping girl in his arms, sticking to back streets and being anywhere that people weren’t. That much was a skill he’d perfected over the years, and it wasn’t hard to stay away from the public eye. He doubted anyone would react well to a man carrying a sick girl through alleys. Then again, who would stop to care? Still, it was safer than someone reporting his location. That was exactly what he wanted to avoid.

“God. What am I doing?” he muttered to himself, still walking along as he watched Rinisai sleep. “You’re just some random girl off the street. I’ve seen plenty others.” What made him want to take care of her more than any of those other people desperately struggling to survive? He shook his head, hearing footsteps and quickly moving back behind a dumpster. He shrunk back until he appeared to be nothing more than a shadow against the wall. Even if someone saw him, they might just think he was another homeless fool. He made sure to cover Rinisai until the steps had passed. A woman, staring intently down at her phone. From the look in her eyes and the state of her, a drug addict going to meet with their dealer. Whatever it was, it wasn’t his business to care.

When she rounded the corner, he quickly continued to move, keeping the bundle in his arms steady. He didn’t want to wake Rinisai, his best option was to be quiet and quick. Sure, he could be faster and stealthier without her, but that wasn’t his goal. He held her carefully, frowning as he looked around. He had to get to the rooftops, but couldn’t disturb her sleep. He’d have to find an easy way up. After a while, he noticed a stairwell that would bring him closer. It’d have to do. He began climbing one step at a time, shifting her weight as he did.

The stairs took him up an apartment block, leaving him close enough to the roof to gently lift her onto it, climbing up after her. He frowned as a potted plant began to wobble, disturbed by his climbing. The handrail was shaky and thin, simple bars of metal spanning over the walkways, and identical plants were positioned out the front of each room. He looked down at the rows, simply glad the curtains remained shut. To be found now would be terrible. 

He sat there for a moment, watching Rinisai continue to sleep. He’d been as gentle as he could be, but she must have still been constantly shifting. How little had the girl slept, to have not woken up through any of it? He let out another sigh, leaning over to pick her up.

  
“Rinisai, how are you alive?” he murmured, beginning to set off again. The foot put forward carefully tested the tile before placing his full weight on it, he didn’t risk slipping and falling. With the angle of the roof, that would send them both over the edge, undoubtedly killing her. Maybe that was why he wanted to help her. That stubborn will to keep living. Or maybe it was the pain and fear in her eyes that pulled something in his heart.

But none of that mattered. What mattered at the moment, was finding somewhere safe to stay for the next few days, somewhere he wouldn’t be found, and a place she could rest easily as well. Nearer to town, so he could obtain food easily. His thoughts were no longer on when he would collect his payment, or where the perfect place for his contacts to reach him was. It was where he could best support Rinisai.

As Daniel realized what he was thinking, he paused for two reasons. For one, he was looking at how to care for her over anything else. That was surprising to consider, even more so when he didn’t stop himself. The second reason he stopped, was because he’d just thought of the perfect place. He turned, setting off in a different direction, carefully testing each tile as he moved towards the edge of the inner city.

* * *

The old clock tower struck out, a sonorous noise ringing over the inner city. Birds flew from their posts as the vibrations ran through the ground, the loud gonging filling the air. Lights began to flicker and go out as the last working citizens began to turn in for the night. There was only the occasional hum of a motor as a lone taxi wandered down the street, returning some drunk folk to their dwelling. The flock swung by an old, slowly rotting building, the sound of their wings loud against the returning silence. A yelling voice reached up, a man drowned in liquor stumbling around the sidewalk.

An eerie glow lit the paths and store fronts as flickering neon signs made their light known. Advertising everything from night clubs to car sales, they threw illumination over stray animals slinking around, and people lurking in the dark. From criminals to those without homes, when the lights went off, they came crawling out of the woodwork.

  
  
Daniel sat on creaking wood, perfectly balanced as he looked out over the city. In the dark, it was harder to identify things, but he could recognize their position easily enough. On top of that, in the dark like this, he was shadowed, leaving him hidden to all but the most trained of eyes. And the only people out at this time with vision like that knew who he was, and knew to stay away. 

He reached down beside him, picking up two blades. They were ornately crafted, the steel twisted on one end, while the other remained straight. The straight end of the blade was perfect to slash and cut, and sharp enough to turn a man’s throat into ribbons. The other end was more deadly - a stab wound from that was extremely difficult to stitch, and caused heavy bleeding. Of course, he could also twist it to easily cause more damage. He frowned, studying the rust and blood that stained against them. How many lives had he taken with the pair? He flicked one blade up in his wrist, studying the handle. A number of lines were etched into the grip. He attempted to count for a moment, but every time he blinked, he became lost. In the dim light, it was impossible to total up the numerous grooves in the handle.

Daniel scraped one knife against the other, sparks flying off and settling on the ground as he pulled the nicked edges back into a thin line. The bright orange flecks of light spat back into the building, illuminating the shelter. Several sparks floated down, coming to rest by his boots. The footwear had a small compartment in the sole of each boot, cut out to hold the blades and keep them away from view. Daniel ran the knives over each other again, turning to look up at the area he’d chosen to stay for a time.

Rotted timbers hung from the ceiling, loosely held by what nails had yet to rust away. The hotel had been abandoned for as long as he could remember, but being protected a city relic, the town leadership refused to have it renovated or torn down. The building had to be over a hundred years old, and as of such, was falling apart. Where he was situated had to be at least the fourth story. Anywhere higher was too unsteady to find purchase, and the lower levels had fallen apart to the point where simply walking around would send you crashing through the timbers.

Daniel looked over his shoulder at the door creaking open. He’d attempted to close it, but with the state the hinges were in, it was lucky to even still be attached. He sighed, turning back to look over the city. He wished he could find better, but for now, this was the safest place he could keep Rinisai. The area was never checked - anyone hunting people assumed it was too broken down to stay in, and the few that tried to enter were the reason the first flight of stairs was a mess of shattered planks. That made it the perfect place to hide. So long as he could identify where was safe to step and where wasn’t, he’d be able to keep them there for a while.

A shifting noise broke the silence that ensued after the bells finished ringing, and he turned, not pausing as he sharpened his blades.   
Rinisai gave a tiny yawn, blinking a few times as she woozily woke up. She rose groggily, bare back lit up by the sparks. Daniel frowned - her spine was painfully clear through the drawn skin. She was pale, awfully so, and as the sparks cast light over her body, he could see the small slouched form, skin broken and bruised, with marks looking like patchwork over her back. As she turned her body to face him, Daniel gestured to the blanket. Still, it gave him a look at her front, chest pulled back against her ribs, with her stomach sunk in so far it was a miracle her spine supported the rest of her. 

Rinisai paused, startled by the new surroundings, before noticing Daniel’s presence, and her own nudity. She swiftly pulled the blanket up around her, a headache quickly making itself known. She gave a small groan, one hand lifting to the side of her skull.

Daniel paused as he watched her, tilting his head.

  
  
“Hey,” he said softly, waiting until she’d turned to look back at him. “Did you sleep okay?”

Rinisai inclined her head in a nod rather than speaking, looking down at the floor beneath them. One of the only things in the building that was intact. She brought her gaze back up to him, before looking past him at the open hole in the side of the building. That explained the cold breeze running into the building, cutting through her like an icy dagger.

“When did we get here?” she asked after a moment, voice shaky and nervous. She was starting to trust this stranger a little more, but he was still scary, and had just moved her somewhere completely different. She was in his world, and it was completely new. A world she was unfamiliar with, but had no power to change. All she knew was that at the moment, the man who now essentially had control of her life was keeping her safe.

“Just a little while ago,” he responded calmly, pausing with his knives as she flinched away from the sparks. “It’s just passed midnight, if you were wondering.” Rinisai gave another of her usual nods, looking around as it became completely dark again.

“W-where are we?”

Seeing it a completely reasonable thing to ask, Daniel leaned out of the opening in the wall, looking down towards the ground.

“Up in a building. More importantly, we’re hidden, safe,” he explained, going back to sharpening his blades. A few minutes of silence passed, before he heard the same shuffling noise. He glanced back, surprised to find her sitting there close to him, the blanket pulled tight around her as she clung to any semblance of warmth and cover.

Watching him quietly with those wide violet eyes, Rinisai was silent for a little while longer, before looking away as tears pricked at her eyes. She was having trouble fully comprehending anything that had happened. Her life fell into chaos, and all she could remember after that was hunger and fear. And pain. Pain was present for a lot of it. And now suddenly she had a better taste in her mouth, and a blanket around her as someone watched over her. He had fed her, allowed her to have another chance at living, pulled her off the streets and provided warmth, food. Things she had been without for weeks, lonely and cold, desperately trying to survive. It was an overwhelming feeling rushing over her.

She felt hot tears run down her cheeks, before she quickly lifted her arms, brushing them away with the back of her hands. Rinisai shivered, fighting back further tears. Mom always said not to cry when things were confusing. She froze at that, quickly shaking her head before turning to Daniel again.

“It’s cold…” she managed to whisper, shaking where she sat. Daniel hesitated - there wan’t too much he could do to change that. He paused, before letting out a sigh, placing the knives against the ground. He reached to himself, pulling his shirt up and off and ignoring the biting cold that became even more pronounced against his bare chest. He stepped over to her, ignoring the reaction of flinching away as he put the shirt on her. Rinisai looked up at him in uncertainty, before dropping her head down. She felt a little guilty, but it was overridden by a need for warmth, and while the shirt didn’t do much, it still helped against the freezing cold of the night.

Daniel watched her thoughtfully, before retreating further into the building. He gestured for her to follow, choosing the most direct route that had steady purchase to walk on. The further they were from the opening, the warmer it would be.

“Rinisai,” he said softly, sitting down and patting the timbers. “Come over here, it’ll be a little warmer.” The girl hesitantly stood, her arms still holding the blanket around herself from under his shirt. She took slow paces towards him, her legs shaking under her before she made it to where he indicated. She hated how the floorboards creaked under her feet.

Rinisai sat down next to him, being still for a moment, before nervously shifting closer, dropping her head against his arm. She shivered next to him, before they eventually calmed. Daniel watched her for a moment, not doing anything to move her. How was he meant to react to that? But she seemed happy enough with it, and given the state she was in, anything less would be horrible. He sighed, shifting slightly to make it more comfortable for her before simply looking forward. It had been a long time since anyone had been close to him. The only times he was this close to someone was organizing a contract or during a kill. It felt… nice. How pitiable was that? He was treasuring the company of even a little girl.

She’d spent a lot of her time sleeping, he noted, but that was good. With how exhausted she must have been, it would help her to keep resting. And before long, he’d have to go collect his payment. He’d need her to stay put for that, and then he could return with proper food and some kind of warmth.

“Hey, Rinisai? You said you were cold and hungry, but is there anything else you really need?” He waited for a response, before frowning, looking down. The frown curved into a neutral expression as he watched the girl sleep again. She hardly stayed awake for more than a few minutes at a time, then slept for hours. Still, if it was rest she needed, then he would let her. He idly looked back up at the rotting ceiling, ignoring the cold digging into him, running through to his bones. He’d let Rinisai sleep, when she woke up, he had to help her understand exactly where was safe in this building. Until then, he remained alert, looking out as he listened to her quiet breathing.


	4. Daniel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here's another chapter! It might be a little shorter.
> 
> I've fully recovered, for any who were interested! With any luck, that'll mean I can get back to writing more!

Rinisai took a few tottering steps around the planks, terrified by the way they creaked under her. Daniel gave an encouraging nod, gesturing her forward.

“Come on Rinisai, you’re doing great.” Several of his tools had been carefully laid down in areas that were unstable, and he was having her practice avoiding them. As light as she was, if her full weight were to be placed on any of those rotten joints, she’d fall through. He didn’t want to think about how bad the consequences would be on her if she suffered that kind of fall.

As she reached him for the fourteenth time, Daniel gave a small clap, nodding.

  
  
“What’s the point of this again?” she questioned, looking back at the designated areas. “All I’m doing is walking around."

“That’s because some parts of the floor are dangerous,” he patiently explained. “Step wrong and you might fall. And I need you to be able to walk around on your own.” Rinisai looked up at him in worry as he said that.

“Are you going? Please don’t. I don’t want to be alone here,” she half begged, looking on the verge of tears from the mere mention.

“For a little while, yes,” he apologized, placing his hands on her shoulders. “You’re hungry, aren’t you? I need to go get food for us.” Rinisai frowned, keeping the blanket pulled tight around herself, as it had been for the last few days. She couldn’t deny that she was famished, and every second her gut was hurting, but she still hated the thought of being left alone up there.

“Listen, Rinisai, I need to go for a while. I’ll try not to be gone long. Can you wait for me?” She hesitated uncertainly, before giving him a scared nod, sitting down on the ground.

“Please be quick,” she murmured quietly, curling up some. She didn’t trust him with her life, despite the man saving it, but she was growing scared without him, and he had been helping her so far. She didn’t want him to go. However, her growling stomach wouldn’t allow her to hold him back any longer as she closed her eyes, laying down and trying to just be still.

Daniel sighed, watching her. He felt bad after seeing how she reacted, but this was something he had to do either way. Not only could he not wait too long to collect his payment, but he himself was feeling pangs of hunger after having given the last of his food to Rinisai. He walked over to the opening in the wall, choosing a route before climbing down. Trying to get down via the staircase would only lead to splintered wood and bone.

He dropped lightly to the street, looking around. Now, it was a matter of finding his contact.

* * *

A hub of chatter rang out, the noise spilling out onto the street. Tables surrounded the door, several of them seating happy people, enjoying their drinks as they caught up with old friends. A constant stream of money changed hands at the counter, alcohol being supplied in return to wanting mouths, men looking for breaks out of their day. So many conversations going on at once, to the point where it was impossible to keep track of two at the same time. It was one of the most popular places in the city, and was known for its expensive yet quality liquor.

Inside, tables were littered around, with anywhere from two to half a dozen chairs around them, a significant amount of them filled. Despite the fact that it was constantly passed by officers of the law in case of a drunken brawl, it was also a hive for criminal activity on the low, deals done in silence. With all the chatter and split focus, the chances of being seen were astonishingly low.

Daniel sat quietly, making himself less obvious in the back of the bar. It was one of the best places for people to go unnoticed. As he saw the door open once again, his eyes focused. There was his client. Could they look any more like they were trying to hide something? He met their eyes for only a moment, focusing on his drink as they began to make their way over. This person really had no idea how to go about this kind of business, did they? Then again, he’d been hired to kill a baker. He didn’t question motives, it was how he stayed in the job. Probably some kind of hate strike. All that mattered was that they paid him.

“So,” he mused as they sat next to him, his lips barely moving. “Do you have my payment?” He gave a false smile, pushing a second drink over to the man. To anyone watching, it was like two friends catching up over a beer. “I’m going to need a little extra. I told you in advance, the end sum could vary.” Unseen factors like difficulty and injury could charge for more, so he never set an exact price.

The man next to him hurried to nod his head, nervously drinking from the glass. He had reason to be nervous. Anyone dealing with the White Wolf learnt to be terrified of his presence.

“T-there should be the initially agreed money buried half a metre under the pedestal in the central gardens,” he hurried to explain. “As requested. And for the extra-.” He quickly dug into a pocket, sliding it down under the table. Daniel took the wad of notes in satisfaction, from what he could feel, that would afford some kind of clothing for Rinisai. Nothing much, but enough that she wasn’t huddling naked under a thin blanket.

Daniel gave him a hearty slap on the back, and laughed as if the man had amused him. All an act, but one that could easily convince people they were a little tipsy and getting along.

“Wonderful,” he mused, standing and sliding a small receipt to the man. The bill for the drinks. “Good day.” With that, Daniel strode out, leaving the man sweating where he sat. No one dealt with the White Wolf directly without reacting like that, he was simply used to it.

Daniel stole away into an alley, aiming for the park, as he sent a simple message. The device he used was a disposable flip-phone fitted with an untraceable number, allowing him to stay connected to his contact. A new place to meet him, as he set every few days. He then made his way through the city, keeping to side streets and rooftops. The latter method of getting around allowed him to move much faster, avoiding traffic and detours, and before long, he had arrived near the park. 

He dropped down lightly, entering the area. There were a number of people who passed through here, he could go unnoticed easily enough. But there was one point in the park he was moving towards specifically.

A pedestal with a bust of some influential figure stood there. He’d never bothered to read who the man was, the writing was vandalized with graffiti anyway. That wasn’t the reason he was there, though. He looked around briefly. The small opening was surrounded by dense natural foliage, bushes and trees blocking any kind of direct view. He’d made sure there were no cameras a long time ago, as well.

Daniel shortly began to dig just behind the pedestal, the loose, recently disturbed dirt shifting easily underneath his fingers. He smiled to see a satchel that looked like any other, pulling it up and dusting any remaining dirt off of it. After caving the hole back in, he opened it, his grin widening to see the bundles of money within. 

This would be enough to provide for Rinisai, he was certain of it. If only it were so simple that he could just steal new garments for her, he considered. However, his job relied on him knowing how to avoid cameras, the corners he could perform his murdering without being seen. It was why he was never caught. To steal in a city where almost every store held cameras was practically suicide. He could hide because people turned a blind eye to a random man. If everyone knew his face, there was no chance of escape. He looked back down at the satchel, checking for the full contents.

In the front were some sets of basic documents - forged legal notes stating that the money was for a charity. A common practice in a worst case scenario of being caught. Of course, he’d never been caught after receiving payment. He didn’t plan to make that day the first. Stealing away through the trees with the satchel slung over his shoulder, he emerged onto a separate footpath. This pathway led away from the local university, making the satchel seem credible. He was quick to move down the street, ducking away into an alley once he could do so unobtrusively. From there, it was simply a matter of getting up to a rooftop.

Daniel moved quickly and silently, like a wraith over the tiles, before sliding to a stop. Just over a butcher’s with walls that extended up a little higher than the roof, he sat down, the elevation providing cover. Within the space of a few minutes, another man came up from a stairwell, sitting down across from him. Few words ever passed between them, simply a contract and a name. Today was no different, and Daniel looked down at the photo as his contact left. They never looked up at each other, never saw what the other looked like. Both knew one would betray the other at a whim if they had to.

Studying the photo that accompanied the name, Daniel glanced down at the satchel, before looking up towards the abandoned hotel in the distance. From what he’d seen of Rinisai so far, she’d be asleep, and the more hits he was given, the easier it was to pay for survival. Daniel never knew when his next job would be. With that in mind, he had time for one more target.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (To anyone who hasn't picked it up or is confused, Daniel is a hired assassin.)


	5. Sustained

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this chapter and possibly the next are a bit shorter than the last ones. I haven't had as much time to write, but I'm working to get them out regularly.

Daniel counted the money he had carefully. The jobs always paid well, even for less significant targets. The problem was the infrequency at which a hit was requested. He had to plan his spending keeping in mind that he might not get paid for another month or more.

However, that day was different. He had to be even more careful, he wasn’t just planning to keep himself alive, but buying for Rinisai to. The first order of business was food - comfort such as clothing was less of a priority. The blanket covered her, and even if it wasn’t exactly much, her survival came first.

Typically, he purchased the bare minimum, dry foods that could last a while and some fruit for the next few days. Instead, he ended up buying out far more value, unpleasantly handing over the money. He didn’t like spending much. Still, he exited the store with an arrangement of food, from bread, to fruit, to meat. The girl needed to eat, it was as simple as that. If she didn’t eat well for the next while, it would probably kill her, so he saw it as a necessary expense. Besides, it would be the first significant meal he’d have in a while as well.

The next thing on his mind was clothing, it wasn’t the most decent of things for Rinisai to have to hold a blanket around herself for any kind of privacy. This time, he looked for what he could afford. It didn’t need to be much, just enough for her to wear. In the end he decided on a loose black t-shirt, worn pants a little too big that he could cut down to fit her, and a woolen jumper. The last one he felt might have been more money than he was willing to spend, but he couldn’t have either of them freezing, and that meant he needed the blanket back.

It was times like these he was glad his face was less known. Trying to purchase things with a manhunt following you was difficult. Of course, he still had to take side streets and alleys wherever possible, there were police who knew his face, and he couldn’t afford to be caught.

Having purchased the only things he was really looking for at that moment, Daniel figured he’d return to the abandoned building. The longer he left Rinisai alone, the more chance something would go wrong.

* * *

Daniel faced the opening in the wall, waiting quietly as he listened to the rustling behind him. He heard the blanket drop against the ground and focused on the clock tower, letting out a low whistle. The wind snatched the sound away before anyone near the area would be able to hear. After a few minutes had passed, he heard a low cough as the shifting stopped. Turning back around, Daniel smiled at the girl.

Rinisai paused, watching him for a moment, before trying to smile. The effort was lost, but the meaning was there. The shirt was a little big, and hung over one shoulder, and he’d have to cut down the legs of the pants, but otherwise, it would keep her clothed and warm. It didn’t really need to look good, after all. She hugged herself gently, shaking her head.

“Why’d you have to go so long…?” she murmured, looking away. Daniel kept his gaze on her thoughtfully, before letting out a sigh.

“I had to go get these things for you. Doesn’t it feel better to wear them?” he explained. He was answered with the regular small nod, and he was relieved for a moment.

Rinisai’s stomach growled out, breaking the silence that ensued after. Daniel quickly grew alert, turning to a simple plastic bag.

“Oh, right. I also brought us some things to eat.” At the mention of eating, Rinisai’s eyes lit up, and she stepped over to him, still avoiding the objects he’d placed down. She’d been pacing to occupy herself, so she was growing used to that.

Daniel began to set out the different foods, using the blanket as a mat. The bread he placed near the meat, keeping the fruit separate. Before he had even finished laying things out, he noticed one of the rolls had disappeared. He looked up to see Rinisai biting into it, trying to chew. A small smile came to his face as he continued placing things down. There were a number of foods he would withhold, it still needed to last them. However, he’d allow her to eat more, the girl needed it.

Before he had completely realized what had happened, Rinisai had torn through half of what he laid out, ravenously satisfying her desperate hunger. He didn’t say anything this time, the girl deserved at least that. She had been delighted by a handful of bread crusts, it was obvious just how starved Rinisai was.

His eyes focused again as he noticed her stopping, the girl holding a hand against her stomach. Her eyes screwed tight, he could only assume she’d eaten too quickly and it had only just registered that she had consumed more than her body could typically manage. Daniel smiled as he reached out, only just beginning to eat. It worried him to see almost half of what he had laid out had disappeared.

From the now uncertain look on her face, he figured Rinisai wouldn’t be eating any more, and began to pack the supplies away, holding a roll in his mouth. After setting the small bundle aside, he bit through the bread, chewing thoughtfully as he watched her.

“Too much, too quick?” he questioned, gesturing at her with the roll. The girl gave a short nod, pouting as she held her hands over her stomach. “Don’t worry, that’ll calm down soon.” She hadn’t eaten anything decent in weeks, he supposed. It wasn’t surprising that she wasn’t accustomed to food.

As he made his way through the bread, he kept glancing back at her. Rinisai was pulling at the jumper some, seeming shocked that it was there at all. Any kind of clothing was new, after living in rags and then being covered by nothing but a blanket, actual garments were amazing.

“So,” he began, looking back down. He hadn’t asked much about her, in fact, all he knew was that she was a girl he’d taken off the streets and was now providing for. And that she was sensitive about parents. He’d have to look into that later.

“What were you doing out on the streets?”

It was a question that had been preying on his mind for some time, why was a girl that young spending two months alone and dying?

Rinisai hesitated to answer, looking down and fidgeting with her fingers. She’d already shown herself capable of speech, so he wasn’t worried there, but he didn’t know if she wanted to talk to him. He didn’t even know if she trusted him yet.

“It’s alright if you don’t want to say anyth-.”

“No, it’s fine.”

Daniel paused, watching her curiously after she cut him off. Was she going to tell him a little more, or was she just brushing off what he’d said? He waited to see if she would elaborate, and his patience was rewarded.

“We lived in an apartment,” she stated simply, not looking up. “Happy. Not much room, but happy. Then they died.” Her voice began to pitch a little, before she checked it. Daniel frowned, a girl this young shouldn’t have to learn how to keep her emotions in check like that. Rinisai shrugged as she looked back up at him, eyes glossy and ready to cry, but she didn’t let them.

He watched her in a mixture of pity and surprise. This young girl had been made to endure so much if what she was saying was accurate, yet she had the strength to hold back tears. But for that to happen at such a young age…

“Rinisai,” he spoke softly after a few minutes. “Do you want to set out how much you’ll eat tomorrow?” The girl gave a short nod at being instructed what to do, shifting around him some.

Daniel sighed as he watched her, before looking back out over the city. God, he was getting attached to her. That wasn’t good, he’d have to figure out some better way to help her, and soon.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading through! I hope you enjoyed, and please leave any constructive criticism or comments you have for me to read!


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